PRIDE MONTH: Gay Filipinos Drop Yellow From The Rainbow Flag

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in the Philippines are celebrating two very significant events this June — the inauguration of President-elect Rod Duterte and international (gay) Pride Month.

But they are also making an important political statement by dropping the yellow from the gay rainbow colors.

A spokesperson for the Supreme Coalition of Filipino LGBT Organizations (SCFLO) told The Adobo Chronicles that the color yellow has a bad reputation in the country. It represents the misguided politics of the Aquino administration and his Liberal Party (LP) — politics that has not been friendly to LGBTs and the rest of the population.

In fact, President Aquino had repeatedly said that he was undecided on legalizing gay marriage because he is not sure if it will be good for children to have same-sex parents.

During the last presidential campagin, LP bet Mar Roxas made it clear that he was not in favor of divorce and same-sex marriage.

Duterte, on the other hand, stands in support of LGBT rights. Though he sometimes publicly throws around pejorative terms like queer, Duterte has also firmly condemned discrimination against the LGBT community in the Philippines. He has said that as President, he would consider legalizing same-sex marriage and supports allowing LGBT people to serve in the military. In an appearance on a Philippine talk show last summer, he said that he’d have no issue with his son if he came out as gay, and said that “everyone deserves to be happy.”

So, as Pinoys rejoice in the swearing in of the new LGBT-friendly president, they are also celebrating Pride by displaying the gay rainbow colors — minus the yellow.